He knew he had a heart condition. Pomfrey had told him about it and that he needed to take better care of himself - before he obliviated her of the knowledge. But, he did not know just how painful a heart attack was like until he'd experienced it for himself.
Still, he had hoped it would lead to the Bones woman abandoning her using Veritaserum on him. He had hoped she would 'try' to force him to give an oath, instead. As no one knew his real name and he knew how to give the flash of light that signalled an oath being given and accepted, he had hoped to trick her into it.
That she was having a custom made version of Veritaserum designed with him in mind, was not something he had considered.
As a Master Alchemist, he should have. He'd then even begun to think of how to go about it.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After a relaxing class, where both teens were able to get the two 'Puffettes to open up and tell them a bit about themselves when Sprout wasn't closely monitoring them, they met back up with the other three and headed back to the castle. This time, though, Finch-Fletchley joined them in their walk.
As soon as they were clear of the greenhouse and sufficiently apart from other students they could quietly talk without being overheard, Neville said, "Harry, when in public, please don't refer to Lord Finch-Fletchley's title. As you suspected, he's trying to keep it quiet."
Harry turned to the other boy and said, "As you wish, Mister Finch-Fletchley."
The boy gave a relieved smile back and said, "Justin, please."
"Justin, it is," said Harry. "And you may call me Harry."
Hermione immediately piped up and simply said, "Hermione."
"Thank you," said the other boy. "Thank you, both."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After entering the Great Hall and splitting into two groups of three, Harry, Hermione and Neville went to their now usual seats on the benches up near the head end of the table and set to work making their lunches.
However, Harry had only just managed to load his plate with what he wanted when, yet again, Angelina Johnson approached.
"Lord Potter," she tried.
"Go... away," he said, before then choosing to ignore her.
"No, I can't do that," she said. "I really must impress upon you―"
Slamming his cutlery onto the table each side of his plate Harry jumped to his feet, glared at her and snarled, "If you so much as even hint at what you want to talk to me about is relating to the Gryffindor Quidditch team I will hex you into next week!"
Johnson, for all her dark skin, blanched; or at least her dark skin paled somewhat.
"Each time I have tried to eat my meal in peace, or hold a conversation with my peer, Heir Longbottom, you have chosen that time to interrupt it," he continued to snarl. "Are you under some sort of compulsion charm, or something, to utterly piss me off?"
"N-no," she practically squeaked
Harry peripherally heard someone hurrying up from the head table and was about to speak again when the voice, Professor Babbling, firmly said, "Miss Johnson!"
When both turned to her, she, still glaring for herself at Johnson, firmly said, "Return to your seat, at once. That's twenty points against Gryffindor for your nagging and you've earned yourself a week's detention with Professor Burbage in the detention classroom. Now, leave... Lord Potter... alone!"
Johnson stood staring at her in shock for a long moment before she burst into tears, spun about and ran from the room.
Harry saw both Spinnet and Bell jump up and run after her. From the look Spinnet flicked his way, shame, it appeared the two had been pressuring the girl to keep approaching him.
Before Harry got a chance to sit again, Babbage said to him, "And five points from Gryffindor for raising your voice in the Great Hall, Lord Potter."
Harry just stared back with a firm and closed expression for a moment, before he gave a firm, single nod and sat again.
He managed to eat his meal, that time, without it being further interrupted. However, when he'd finished and noticed Hermione had also, he asked her, "Mind taking a walk with me down near the lake?"
"Not at all," she immediately replied.
As both wiped their mouths and rose, Harry quietly said to Neville, "Hermione and I are going for a walk so I can burn off some of my anger."
"Sounds like a good idea," said the other boy. "The rest of us will be waiting for you in the entrance hall for when you get back. I have something important to tell you both and really cannot wait too long."
From where he was sitting down with Thomas and Finnegan and watching Harry practically storm past with Hermione in tow back to the main doors, Ron Weasley gave a disappointed sigh and thought, 'Why can't people leave him alone to calm down, so I can see him to apologise?
'If I don't get it done, soon, I'm going to spending half the summer at Aunt Muriel's again.'
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Though still quite cold out, Harry and Hermione took their walk down to the lake and the now somewhat decimated large rock on its shore.
Indicating it, Hermione said, "Remember when you lost your temper less than two months ago and did that?"
"Yeah," he sighed. "I'm surprised someone didn't repair it once we returned inside."
She smiled and said, "The aurors said to leave it as a reminder not to annoy Lord Potter."
He gave an amused grunt and wryly returned, "It seems that lesson has already been forgotten."
She offered, "I think Johnson was getting pushed into it by Spinnet and Bell."
"That was my thought, too," he replied.
As they continued to walk for a while more, by then down near the Whomping Willow, Hermione said, "I think you may need to back off on Angie."
.
.
.
🎉The novel is available in PDF with more than 400 chapters, visit us in our Ko-Fi store🎉
🎉ko-fi.com/sosukeaizen123🎉